Unlocking the Classroom: Maximizing the Potential of Open Educational Resources

Risk Taking and (R)evolution

Unlocking the Classroom: Maximizing the Potential of Open Educational Resources

UTA Libraries in partnership with the LINK Research Lab welcomed Dr. David Wiley, a pioneer of open education, to campus for a public presentation held in the Central Library on June 2017. In his presentation, David focused his discussion on the transformational experience of creating renewable assignments that allowed students to create and openly share content. This is David’s second visit to UTA. He is the “Chief Academic Officer of Lumen Learning, an organization dedicated to increasing student success, reinvigorating pedagogy, and improving the affordability of education through the adoption of open educational resources by schools, community and state colleges, and universities. He is also currently the Education Fellow at Creative Commons and adjunct faculty in Brigham Young University's graduate program in Instructional Psychology and Technology, where he leads the Open Education Group (and was previously a tenured Associate Professor)”. https://davidwiley.org/

UTA Libraries has been a leading proponent on campus for Open Educational Resources (OER). Research has shown that OER can reduce financial barriers that may impede student success, while open pedagogy can transform the educational experience for both teachers and students. UTA Libraries is a member of the Open Textbook Network (OTN) and has hosted presentations, like David’s and workshop led by OER experts to support faculty adoption of open textbooks. During Open Education Week 2017, we asked UTA students to nominate their teachers for Textbook Heroes, whose thoughtful selection of free or low-cost educational resources has a positive impact on UTA students. Recently we also launched UTA CARES -- UTA’s Coalition for Alternative Resources in Education for Students, grant program that provides up to $5000 in grant funding to support projects at UTA that advance the practice of open education. Through this program, UTA Libraries joins colleagues at other academic libraries and universities in partnering with faculty to support the adoption and creation of OER. Congratulations to the 2017 UTA CARES grant recipients!

We earnestly invite you to join our Open Education effort. It is a revolution taking place in our libraries and on UTA campus. Find additional information about UTA Libraries’ initiatives on Open Education and Scholarly Communication.